Hyderabad, May 14: Telangana witnessed a voter turnout of 64.93 percent as polling was conducted on May 13 for all 17 Lok Sabha seats. The Election Commission reported the estimated turnout shortly after midnight, with the final figure expected to be announced later today.
The polling percentage stood at 61.16 percent until 5 p.m., and even though polling officially ended at 6 p.m., voters in queues were allowed to cast their votes. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vikas Raj stated that the polling process continued at 1,300 to 1,400 polling stations even after 6 p.m.
Comparatively, Telangana recorded a turnout of 71.34 percent during the Assembly elections in November 2023, while the turnout was 62.11 percent in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Over 3.17 crore voters, including half women, were eligible to cast their votes across the state on Monday.
The Bhongir Lok Sabha constituency witnessed the highest turnout at 76.47 percent, whereas Hyderabad saw the lowest polling at 46.08 percent. Urban constituencies generally saw lower turnout compared to rural areas, with Secunderabad at 48.11 percent, Malkajgiri at 50.12 percent, and Chevella at 55.45 percent.
CEO Vikas Raj confirmed no significant issues on the law-and-order front, with 38 FIRs registered on Monday for various reasons and against different political parties. Polling concluded at 4 p.m. in 13 Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected segments under five Lok Sabha constituencies, while it continued until 6 p.m. in the remaining 106 segments.
The fate of 525 candidates across 17 Lok Sabha constituencies now rests in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), with results expected to be announced on June 4. Additionally, votes were cast for the by-election to the Secunderabad Cantonment Assembly seat, part of the Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency, following the untimely passing of MLA Lasya Nanditha in February 2024.
Overall, polling across the state proceeded peacefully, with minor incidents reported. Notably, BJP’s Hyderabad candidate K. Madhavi Latha was booked by the police for checking the identity of burka-clad Muslim women voters and requesting them to remove their veils.
A total of 35,809 polling stations were set up across all 17 Lok Sabha constituencies. Secunderabad constituency boasts the highest number of candidates at 45, followed by 44 in Medak, 43 in Chevella, and 42 each in Peddapalle (SC) and Warangal (SC) constituencies. Conversely, the Adilabad (ST) constituency has only 12 candidates.
Prominent candidates in the fray include Union Minister and state BJP president G. Kishan Reddy seeking re-election from Secunderabad, BJP national general secretary Bandi Sanjay Kumar contesting from Karimnagar, and AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi seeking re-election for a fifth consecutive term from Hyderabad.
In the 2019 elections, BRS won nine seats, BJP secured four seats, Congress won three seats, and AIMIM retained one seat.
